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Thursday, March 24, 2011

Delicious Guinness Molasses Bread

I would have pictures to post, but I was *sure* my bread was going to be perfect this time!

For St. Patrick's Day I had a menu planned of Corned Beef and Cabbage with some warm Guinness Bread. I've made Beer Bread before using Guinness, but never molasses. It sounded delicious.

After putting the Corned Beef on the stove, I prepared the bread batter and put it in the oven. After 40 minutes, the timer went off. My 2 year old ran into the kitchen yelling "Beep beep mom! Beep beep, it's done! Done!"

I pulled open the oven, pulled the rack out, and felt the top of the bread. A little bit soft, but not too much. I sat the bread on the stove top to cool. Well, my son gets his lack of patience from me apparently (in the kitchen only!), and kept asking for some. I tilted the loaf pan to get the bread out and noticed that the bottom was a tiny bit soft. Still didn't think anything of it. And I know better than that.

I cut a slice of bread for me and my son, and it was delicious! So, I cut another slice for my husband. And then another slice from the other side for my son again. Shortly after, the corned beef and cabbage was done, and my husband and son were ready to eat. I put the loaf of bread onto the cutting board to slice it, and...it was raw inside! Not even just soft, or slightly doughy but raw! I wish I could say I was surprised. Totally shocked. But no, not me. I'm used to these things.

Here's what I did wrong:

I patted the top of the bread when I opened the oven and the bread felt a little spongy. That meant the inside was not done. I should have left it baking longer.

I took the bread out of the loaf pan before it actually started cooling. If I had left it in the pan for a little longer, the inside would have continued to cook.

I sliced the bread before it cooled, on both sides! If I had not sliced it, the heat would not have escaped from the bread and it could have kept cooking a little more.

Instead of following all of the recommended tips to see if your bread is done, I dug right in to that yummy bread! To save it, I sliced the rest of the loaf and placed the slices on a baking sheet. I baked them in the oven for another 15 minutes until they were toasted. The bread turned out a little crunchy, but still tasted great. They would have made great croutons!

I'm going to try and make this bread again soon, then I will post the recipe. Hopefully the next time I can have some cooked soft bread instead of Guinness biscotti!